Neil: I'm Neil.
Sam: And I'm Sam.
Neil: In this programme,
we'll be discussing our closest neighbour in the solar system –
the planet Mars.
Sam: Often called the 'Red Planet',
Mars has been in the news a lot recently
with three separate missions
being sent to explore the planet's surface in 2021.
Neil: Our fascination with the Red Planet
has given birth to some interesting art over the years.
This includes music, such as David Bowie's 1973 hit, Life on Mars?
and countless films,
from 1938's, Mars Attacks!
to the 2015 blockbuster, The Martian.
Sam: But human interest in Mars goes back much earlier.
Ancient civilisations, like the Maya of central America
observed the planet's colour
and recorded its movements,
just like modern astronomers –